By Benjamin A. Commey
Accra, Aug.1, GNA – The Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) has urged factions in protracted conflicts in some parts of the country, particularly Bawku and Nkwanta, to lay down their arms and give dialogue a chance to bring lasting peace to these areas.
Mr Albert Kwabena Dwumfour, the President of the GJA, who made the call at a news conference in Accra, on Thursday, said the rising incidents of insecurity in parts of the country, particularly Bawku in the Upper East Region, Nkwanta in the Oti Region, Ashaiman in the Greater Accra Region, and Asawase in the Ashanti Region, was concerning.
He condemned acts of lawlessness and violence in those areas, which had claimed lives, displaced residents, and disrupted socio-economic activities, urging all parties to exercise restraint and pursue peace.
“We strongly urge all individuals and groups behind these disturbances to lay down their arms and embrace dialogue and peaceful coexistence,” Mr Dwumfour said.
While acknowledging efforts of the security agencies in responding to the volatile situations, the GJA President called for more proactive measures to be undertaken to help prevent such clashes.
He, for instance, implored the Ghana Police Service, the Ghana Armed Forces, and the various regional and district security councils to adopt a proactive and intelligence-led approach to conflict prevention and resolution to minimise those clashes.
Mr Dwumfour called on the National Security and the Interior Ministry to deepen engagement with local stakeholders, traditional authorities, youth groups, and civil society to tackle the root causes of the disturbances and bring lasting peace to those areas.
He commended the Government’s recent directive to move from peacekeeping to peace enforcement in Bawku, indicating that it was necessary to end the lost of lives, stabilise the community and restore order.
“This is a step in the right direction,” he said, adding: “Where lives are being lost and communities destabilised, the state must act not only to mediate but to restore order decisively.”
Mr Dwumfour cautioned the media against fanning the conflict through disinformation, hate speech, and inciting violence, warning that such acts could undermine efforts at building and brokering a peace deal.
“The GJA strongly encourages journalists to exercise caution, accuracy, and sensitivity in the choice of language, sources, and images used in conflict reportage.”
He advised them to be guided by principles of truth, fairness, and national unity, stressing that conflict reporting must not become a “tool for ethnic profiling, political manipulation, or incitement.”
He warned that the Association would not protect any media organisation who failed to adhere to the ethics of the profession.
“The Association will not shield any journalist who breaches ethical standards or violates national security laws under the guise of press freedom,” Mr Dwumfour warned.
“The Association believes in media freedom, but we also believe in media responsibility.”
GNA
Edited by Agnes Boye-Doe